JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 09: Quarterback Andy Dalton #14 of the the Cincinnati Bengals sets for play against the Jacksonville Jaguars October 9, 2011 at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The Bengals won 30 - 20. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
When you win football games, your proverbial power rankings improve. For a team that was ranked in the 30s before the first week of the NFL season, a 3-2 start (including a road win in Jacksonville and a blemish on Buffalo's undefeated record) will push those impressions up. Including Peter King, who ranked the Bengals in his top-15, others are taking notice. For example Pro Football Talk jumped the Bengals seven posts to 14th writing: "Somewhere, Carson Palmer is sitting on the floor of a room, turning a lamp on and off repeatedly." Two NFL.com experts ranked the Bengals as high as 12th.
Brian Billick, not as quick to jump on the Bengals bandwagon, writes:
After Cam Newton, Andy Dalton is the most impressive rookie quarterback. This is a team that has long forgotten the days of Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. It is now all about Dalton, A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham . . . and they are better off for it
How did the Bengals rank?
| Power Rankings | Placement | LW |
| SB Nation | 16th | 21st |
| ESPN's Power Rankings | 20th | 21st |
| Pete Prisco (CBSSports.com) | 18th | 22nd |
| NFL.com | 16th | 21st |
| Pro Football Talk | 14th | 21st |
| Brian Billick (FoxSports) | 20th | 22nd |
| Your Heart | 1st | 1st |
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